Wright State business professor, alumnus honored by regional technology organizations

Technology First honored Amir Zadeh, professor of management information systems at Wright State, as the 2024 Tech Educator of the Year.

A Wright State University professor and his former student received top honors from Technology First, a trade association for technology professionals in the Dayton area.

Amir Zadeh, Ph.D., professor of management information systems, was named the inaugural Tech Educator of the Year.

Brandon Hubley, who recently earned a master’s degree in information systems from Wright State, received the 2024 Award of Excellence in the Student Project category for his capstone analyzing data breaches in the U.S. health care system. The project was completed under Zadeh’s supervision.

This is the third consecutive year a Wright State student has received the student project award.

Zadeh said the university’s winning streak “demonstrates the impact of the work we’re doing at Wright State — the impact we are making in the community and in the next generation of IT professionals for the region.”

Zadeh’s nomination came with high praise. Daniel Asamoah, Ph.D., professor and chair of the School of Finance, Accounting, Management Information Systems and Economics, highlighted Zadeh’s dynamic teaching methods, use of emerging technologies, and dedication to student engagement.

“His unwavering commitment to advancing technology education and empowering the next generation of innovators is evident,” Asamoah wrote.

Receiving the Educator of the Year award from such a prominent organization was meaningful to Zadeh.

“It’s from an organization that plays such a wide role in the technology community,” he said. “I love this.”

In turn, he credited Hubley as a standout scholar whose capstone work showcased creativity, technical skill and a strong commitment to research.

Recent Wright State graduate Brandon Hubley received the Award of Excellence in the Student Project category for his innovative capstone work from Technology First.

“His capstone project exemplified real-world impact, interdisciplinary collaboration and the innovative application of data analytics in cybersecurity,” Zadeh said.

Although honored by the award, Hubley was unable to attend the award ceremony because he was in Istanbul for work as a federal contractor focused on counterterrorism.

His path to Wright State began after a decorated military career. A Sidney High School graduate, Hubley enlisted in the Air Force and was deployed to Baghdad early in the Iraq War. He later transferred to the Army, where he served as a Ranger with multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan before retiring in 2009. He then transitioned into civilian contractor work.

Hubley had previously earned a bachelor’s degree in foreign policy and intelligence studies from Bellevue University in Omaha, Nebraska. When his GI Bill benefits neared expiration, and with an interest in furthering his education, he chose Wright State, familiar territory from his upbringing in the region.

Unlike his mostly online undergraduate studies, Wright State offered Hubley a traditional campus experience.

“It was great getting to meet people, being in class with people,” he said. “There was a plethora of people with different backgrounds. It was a good fit for me.”

Melissa Cutcher, executive director of Technology First, praised Wright State as one of the organization’s cornerstone partners.

“I appreciate that Wright State is reaching out to the technology industry to learn what it needs in the way of educated employees,” she said.